(JustPatriots.com)- After she was heard making racist remarks about a fellow council member’s black son in a leaked audio recording, Los Angeles City Council president Nury Martinez announced this past week that she was resigning.
In the leaked audio of a conference call recorded sometime in October 2021, three Hispanic city council members, including Martinez, and a top county labor official were discussing the redistricting process when Martinez referred to gay white council member Mike Bonin’s black son as “Parece changuito,” which is Spanish for “that little monkey.”
Martinez also compared Bonin’s son to an accessory item and recounted the child’s behavior during a 2017 parade, complaining that he needed “a beatdown,” adding “Let me take him around the corner, and then I’ll bring him back.” This prompted fellow Hispanic council member Kevin de León to jokingly compare Bonin’s handling of his child to Martinez holding a Louis Vuitton handbag.
The recording, which was first released by the Los Angeles Times last Sunday, sparked instant outrage.
After the story broke, de León issued an apology, saying he would strive to do better in the future.
For her part, Martinez issued a damage control statement to CBS Los Angeles on Sunday claiming that during a “moment of intense frustration and anger” she “let the situation get the best of me.” She defended her record on the city council and said she has “worked hard to lead this city through its most difficult time.”
But her apology didn’t stop the calls for Martinez to resign.
By Monday morning, Martinez announced her resignation.
In her statement, Martinez again apologized for her racist remarks saying she should have known better and was “truly ashamed.” Addressing Mike Bonin and his husband directly, Martinez apologized to them and their son “for putting you through this.”
Following the release of the leaked audio, Mike Bonin expressed disgust over Martinez’s comments, saying he was “disgusted,” “angry,” and “heartsick.” Bonin said attacking him is “fair game,” but added Martinez would have to be “petty,” “insecure,” and “venomous” to attack his child.
